Internet: Not yet a utility

Oct 20, 2006, 03.13am IST

Over half of all households in India that use a debit or a credit card do not have an internet connection. Interestingly, amongst households which invest in the stock market, directly or through mutual funds, almost two-thirds have internet at home.

There is a high correlation between ownership of a four-wheeler and internet penetration, with around two-thirds car-owning households having access to the net. On the flip side, almost a fifth of even computer owning homes don't have internet penetration. It seems there is a long way to go before internet is seen as another utility, much like a landline phone or a cable television connection.